Raised beds aren't a hipster invention. The Amish have built them for centuries for elders and poor soil.
Construction
Boards 25-30 cm high. Width 1-1.2 m (reachable from both sides). Any length. No bottom — roots go into ground. Not from railroad ties or treated wood (chemicals leach).
Filling
Bottom layer: branches, chips, straw (drainage + decomposes over time). Middle: half-finished compost. Top: soil + compost 1:1. Add compost on top each year.
Advantages
Warms 2-3 weeks before flat beds — early start. Weeds don't creep from paths. No back pain — don't bend to ground level. On clay or rock — the only way to grow.
Watering
Raised beds dry faster. Mulch is mandatory (5-10 cm straw on top). Or drip irrigation (hose with holes along bed).
For Elders
Beds 60-90 cm high — can be tended while sitting. Amish build these for elderly community members. A person works in the garden until their last day.